cooking not by the recipe and exact measurement but by the art of imagination

Category Archives: Appetizer

When we went to Japan last 2008, I kept asking hubby how do they cook gyoza, he told me, maybe they fried it, grill it and steam it. I tried all of them, but they don’t look like the gyozas I ate at the japs restaurant.

After finding several awesome Japanese cookbooks from japantown library, I finally knew how to do it! Fry a little, steam and fry a little more. Let me try to explain it further on the procedures.

I also found out that good gyozas are flavorful, aromatic and made of veges and pork. Well, I made mine a little bit different, I used herbs, spices, pork and shrimp.

1. Combine all the filling ingredients and let stand for 15 mins and mix well again.
2. To wrap filling, take one wrapper and lay it flat on your hand.
3. Take about 1/2 tablespoon of the filling to the center of the wrapper.
4. Using your finger, run a thin layer of water along the inner rim of the wrapper and press both sides together, forming a half circle and make 4 tucks at edge of the wrapper.
4. Lay the bottom of the gyoza flat and let it sit upright.

Cooking :
1. Put a medium sautee pan in high heat and add little oil.
2. put 6- 8 gyozas to the pan, flat side down.
3. When the bottom turn brown, for 1 – 2 mins add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and cover.
4. Turn the temperature from high heat to medium heat.
5. Cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 3 – 4 mins.
6. Then add little oil and continue to cook until bottom is crisp.
7. I like the sides, to be a little bit crispy too, so I turn the gyoza to the sides for about
2 times, while making the bottom crispy.
8. Transfer the cooked gyoza to the serving platter and cook the remaining ones, with same process with water and oil.
9. Serve gyoza with dipping sauce.

We just transfered to San Francisco CA, particularly at the heart of Japan Town. It feels like heaven in terms of tastes availability. I am surrounded by vast variety of Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino and Farmer’s market. Hundreds of oriental restaurants are within our reach, but I don’t want to spend much to eat good food. So I tried them at home.

So here is one that I can’t stop eating.

Korean: Sweet and Spicy Anchovies - BokkEum

Gochujang Paste:Can be bought from asian, japanese or korean store

Vietnamese Garlic Chili Paste:Can be bought from asian, japanese or korean store

1. Heat the pan, toss in anchovies for 5 mins until
lightly toasted.
2. put the heat to low, push the anchovies at the side of the pan.
3. pour some olive oil and sesame oil.
4. add garlic and white onion, stir until light brown.
5. Add soy sauce, water, sugar and wine
6. Then add Gochujang, chili flakes and chili garlic sauce.
7. Mix the sauce with anchovies in a low heat.
9. When all the sauce are mix in and caramelized add the sesame seeds.

Serve as side dish, appetizer and can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks or more
dried squid, boneless fish, shrimp can be used instead of anchovies

1. Wash each leaf thoroughly with running water.
2. Drain water thoroughly and dry each leaf.
3. Put the spices in between each leaf and arrange nicely, until all leaves are thoroughly covered.
4. Cover the container where you arrange the cabbage and spices.
5. Leave it at a room temperature to age for 1 whole day.
6. Refrigerate and ready to serve chill.

This is a common delicacy when we are drinking beer or watching a movie or just hanging out. You can find this anywhere in the Philippines, even with the balut vendors.

Very easy to make, known to be unhealthy but who can resist the crispness ?!

I actually saved all the chicken skin when I cook chicken menus. Now here is the best way of cooking all of them!

Ingredients:

Chicken skin

Salt and Pepper

Procedure:

1. Cut the chicken skin into rectangular stips.
2. Marinate with salt and Pepper for one hour.
3. Drain the liquid from the Chicken skin through the strainer.
4. Prepare the deep frying pan.
5. Fill half of the pan with oil.
6. Heat the oil until really hot (smoking hot)
7. Put the chicken skin to the pan until brown (do not over crowd).
8. Put the cooked chicken skin to a strainer.
9. When the oil from the fried chicken skin is drain it will turn crispy and dry.

Crackling good!

Serve with vinegar, salt and hot chillies as dip.

Note: Be careful with oil when deep frying, it might boil too high and might overflow. Before this happens, turn off your fire and turn it back on when bubbles subside.

I have tried cooking veges with spinach but I get frustrated cause it gets very soft and mushy.
I have been thinking on how to do it like kangkong. 🙂 But kangkong does not get soft easily when cooked.

At last I’ve got answer from a japanese cookbook I’ve brought with me. Sure I can’t understand the character, some chinese character I can, but the pictures gave me a bright idea! Blanch it! Or near to it, just soak it into hot water.